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Drinking Expectancy Sexual Vulnerabilities Questionnaire (DESV-Q)

The Drinking Expectancy Sexual Vulnerabilities Questionnaire (DESV-Q) is a 22-item self-report measure about the believed effects of drinking alcohol on sexual vulnerability for oneself, men, and women. Items are separated into five domains: Sexual Coercion, Sexual Vulnerability, Confidence, Self-Centeredness, and Negative Cognitive and Behavioral Changes. The scale captures whether alcohol makes one sexually aggressive or increases the likelihood of sexual victimization.

Categories

Geographies Tested: Australia

Populations Included: Female, Male

Age Range: Adolescents, Adults

Items:

Drinking alcohol makes [memenwomen]...

Sexual Coercion
1. likely to be forceful to get sex
2. likely to be persuasive if mytheir partner says no to sex
3. it hard for memenwomen to stop myselfthemselves when mytheir partner doesn't want to have sex

Sexual Vulnerability
4. it difficult for memenwomen to say no to sex in a clear and consistent ways
5. likely to have sex against mytheir will
6. at risk of being forced into sex
7. feel confident when I'mthey're around others

Confidence
8. sure of myselfthemselves in social situations
9. feel comfortable to talk to people that Ithey don't know
10. sure of myselfthemselves when meeting new people
11. put mytheir own needs before others'

Self-Centeredness
12. care about mytheir own feelings more than others'
13. care about myselfthemselves more than others
14. it hard for memenwomen to make good decisions

Negative Cognitive and Behavioral Changes
15. act like I'mthey're a different person
16. see a side of myselfthemselves that Ithey don't normally see
17. forget about how hurtful a word or an action could be
18. it difficult for memenwomen to realize when I'vethey've done something wrong
19. it hard for memenwomen to understand right from wrong
20. forget about what Ithey need to do to stay safe
21. do things Ithey later regret
22. put myselfthemselves in risky situations

Response Options:
A 5-point Likert scale from 1 "Strongly disagree" to 5 "Strongly agree"

Scoring Procedures

Not Available

Original Citation

Starfelt, L. C., Young, R. M., White, K. M., & Palk, G. (2016). Development and preliminary validation of the Drinking Expectancy Sexual Vulnerabilities Questionnaire (DESV-Q): a purpose-specific instrument for rape-perception research. Substance Use & Misuse, 51(3), 330-342. DOI: 10.3109/10826084.2015.1110168


Psychometric Score

Ease of Use Score

Scoring breakdown

Formative Research

Qualitative Research

Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework

Field Expert Input

Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing

Reliability

Internal

Test-retest

Interrater

Validity

Content

Face

Criterion (gold-standard)

Construct

KEY

Ease of Use

Readability

Scoring Clarity

Length

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